when is some too much? WAS RE: [thelist] Link Types

the head lemur headlemur at clearskymail.com
Thu Jan 2 16:16:00 CST 2003


> 1. although accessibility is good and all, at what point does it become
> overkill?

It depends. by your posting you have drawn the 'reasonable accessibility'
line by requiring your accessibility issues being 'confined to a wheelchair
yet having upperbody mobility with the added features of sight.'

Consider upperbody paraplegia, quadraplegia. How do you operate a keyboard
and mouse without hands? Consider blindness ranging from lowlight blindness,
night blindness, color blindness, and total blindness. Consider limblessness
through birth or accident. Consider almost total paralysis (such as
Christopher Reeves) We won't go down the road of dyslexia and other reading
disorders.

This just covers a few of the disabilities/challenges that are among the
viewing audience.

Drawing the line is easy if you are a government or plan on doing business
with a government. In the US the Section 508 regulations apply.

If you are an individual, you can do anything that you want. If you are a
business whose idea is to use the web to sell products/services, weather for
yourself, part time or as your day job, then the line gets broad and fuzzy.

Because all of the above disabilities can come into play. They may all be
potential customers. The 'no shirt, no shoes, no service' signs posted in
front of private businesses open to the public may have a basis in health
issues or community standards, but on the web the only real obstacle is not
having an internet connection.

Designers provide all of the rest.

> 2. can someone point me to a webpage that is at the absolute limit of
> accessibility as it stands today?

http://www.w3c.org


the head lemur
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